Latest Updates

COMMENT: Behind Venezuela's phantom cartel, Trump's endgame remains unclear

The US Navy deployment near Venezuela uses a fabricated drug cartel narrative to justify potential military action. But competing agendas between regime-change hawks and America First pragmatists leave the administration without a coherent strategy.

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EU finance ministers discuss Ukraine's Reparations Loan but no decision yet

EU finance ministers met in Copenhagen on September 20 to discuss tapping the cash pile of frozen Central Bank of Russia (CBR) money and using it to make a large Reparation Loans to Ukraine, but no final decision has been reached.

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COMMENT: Russian drone and jet incursions highlight shortcomings in Nato’s multilayered air defence system

A spate of Russian drone incursions has stress-tested Nato’s air defences. On September 10, nineteen Russian drones violated Poland’s airspace — the alliance’s worst such breach in more than seventy-five years.

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COMMENT: Can Ukraine avoid a macroeconomic collapse? - Shevchenko

“As Ukraine enters autumn 2025, its economy teeters on the brink of a new macroeconomic shock, with its recovery potential exhausted,” Kyrylo Shevchenko, the former head of the National Bank of Ukraine said in an opinion piece on September 18.

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Serbia stages one of its largest military parades in decades

Fighter jets roared over the capital in a spectacle designed to showcase the power of the Serbian Armed Forces at a time of political tensions at home and increasing instability across the Western Balkans.

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South Sudan officials diverted $2.2bn from Oil for Roads scheme, UN report finds, citing “systemic” corruption

A UN inquiry on South Sudan finds systemic corruption and fiscal mismanagement – and falling oil output – are driving hunger, economic collapse, and a worsening human rights crisis.

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Trump eyes Bagram return, with China in his sights

In the years it was operational, 14 nations operated at, or through Bagram. In addition to the US, these included UK forces and elements from France, Germany, South Korea and more.

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$23bn windfall for Kazakhstan as Beijing shifts up a gear on New Silk Road

Resource-rich Central Asian country emerges as a standout destination for Chinese investment.

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Afghanistan rejects Donald Trump's demands for Bagram air base return

UK, Australia and Canada recognise Palestinian state as Netanyahu threatens settlement expansion

North Korean leader oversees test of AI-powered attack drones

Afghanistan rejects Donald Trump's demands for Bagram air base return

Afghanistan firmly rejects Trump's demands for Bagram air base return, stating "not even an inch" of Afghan territory will be given to US despite threats.

UK, Australia and Canada recognise Palestinian state as Netanyahu threatens settlement expansion

UK, Australia and Canada formally recognise Palestinian state on September 21, with Netanyahu hinting at increased settlement expansion in response to international pressure.

North Korean leader oversees test of AI-powered attack drones

Pyongyang unveiled its first attack drones last year, a move that experts warned was closely linked to its growing military partnership with Russia, and may also be linked to Chinese agencies supplying Pyongyang with technical support.

News

Explosion kills five at Afghan-Pakistan border migrant camp

The blast struck on the evening of September 18 evening in Chaman, a Pakistani border town, at a taxi stand where Afghan migrants and local residents had assembled.

Estonia’s foreign minister summons Russia’s chargé d’affaires over 12-minute incursion in Estonia’s airspace

Estonia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on September 19 summoned the chargé d’affaires of the Russian Federation in Estonia to lodge a protest for an "unprecedentedly brazen" violation of Estonia’s airspace after three MiGs entered its airspace.

China rejects US "bullying" over Latin American partnerships

China has once again rejected American efforts to pressure Latin American nations into reducing ties with Beijing, with a foreign ministry spokesperson asserting the region's right to choose its own development partners independently.

EU passes nineteenth sanctions package, accelerates LNG phase out

The European Commission has published proposals for a 19th sanctions package against Russia that would tighten curbs on energy trade and payments, with new measures aimed at oil refineries, oil traders and petrochemical companies in third countries.

Taiwan central bank maintains rates as growth momentum strengthens

Officials at the Central Bank of the Republic of China cited robust economic performance and subdued price pressures as reasons to hold steady.

Explosion kills five at Afghan-Pakistan border migrant camp

1 day ago

Estonia’s foreign minister summons Russia’s chargé d’affaires over 12-minute incursion in Estonia’s airspace

2 days ago

China rejects US "bullying" over Latin American partnerships

2 days ago

EU passes nineteenth sanctions package, accelerates LNG phase out

2 days ago

Taiwan central bank maintains rates as growth momentum strengthens

2 days ago

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Tech

Iran delivers high efficiency gas turbines to Russia to replace sanctioned Siemens equipment

The extreme sanctions imposed on Russia have hit industrial sectors the hardest, which have been almost entirely dependent on imports of high quality foreign made machinery for almost all of the last three decades since the fall of the Soviet Union.

Internet shutdown pushes Afghanistan’s banking to the brink

Reports from northern Afghanistan indicated severe difficulties in processing financial transactions after WiFi services were suspended in a number of provinces, including Balkh. In Mazar-i-Sharif, banking operations were reportedly brought to a halt

Turkey’s e-imports soar to 12 times e-exports

Numbers highlight Turkish consumers’ growing appetite for low‑cost overseas platforms such as China's online marketplace Temu and e-commerce fast fashion giant Shein.

UAE and India partnership council support startups in both countries

UAE's RAKEZ partners with India economic council to launch startup series supporting entrepreneurship and global expansion opportunities for both countries.

Iranian deputy IT minister admits the local web is "unsafe"

Iranian communications deputy admits filtering policies have created unsafe, polluted internet network whilst domestic messaging platforms show significant growth.

Iran delivers high efficiency gas turbines to Russia to replace sanctioned Siemens equipment

5 hours ago

Internet shutdown pushes Afghanistan’s banking to the brink

1 day ago

Turkey’s e-imports soar to 12 times e-exports

3 days ago

UAE and India partnership council support startups in both countries

6 days ago

Iranian deputy IT minister admits the local web is "unsafe"

6 days ago

More Tech

Opinion

COMMENT: Billionaire Ivanishvili’s shadow rule pushes Georgia toward autocracy

Georgia, once celebrated as a post-Soviet democratic success story, has quietly slipped into authoritarianism under the stewardship of its elusive puppet master, Bidzina Ivanishvili, says a Central Asia-Caucasus Institute report.

Washington has “surrendered” in the Central Asia battle for influence, says ex-ambassador

Russia and China now dominate narrative across region, Daniel N. Rosenblum tells students at Yale. If US cuts itself off from the world, “we will ultimately be less secure and less prosperous,” he warns.

Europe faces harsh realities in Ukraine as long war looms - Ash

Timothy Ash, senior sovereign strategist at BlueBay Asset Management in London, says European policymakers are belatedly waking up to the fact that the war in Ukraine is set to be prolonged — and that they alone may have to foot the bill.

COMMENT: US-brokered Armenia-Azerbaijan peace deal exposes Russia’s strategic failures

The recent peace breakthrough between Armenia and Azerbaijan is a major diplomatic win for the United States and a setback for Russia, according to a new report published by the Atlantic Council.

COMMENT: Why Beijing will never take Taiwan

Xi Jinping needs to think again before he sends so many young Chinese men and women to their deaths on Taiwan, for if the PLA does one day dare to land, they will be buried here.

COMMENT: Billionaire Ivanishvili’s shadow rule pushes Georgia toward autocracy

2 days ago

Washington has “surrendered” in the Central Asia battle for influence, says ex-ambassador

2 days ago

Europe faces harsh realities in Ukraine as long war looms - Ash

3 days ago

COMMENT: US-brokered Armenia-Azerbaijan peace deal exposes Russia’s strategic failures

3 days ago

COMMENT: Why Beijing will never take Taiwan

4 days ago

More Opinion

Data

New KIIS report says invasion boosted Zelenskiy approval rating

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 “has substantially increased Zelenskiy’s approval rating,” according to a new release from the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology.

Inflation falls in 70 Russian regions but remains above target

Consumer prices declined in 70 Russian regions in August compared with July, according to data released by the Central Bank of Russia on September 18, as annual inflation also eased in 77 of the country’s regions. (chart)

Belarus reports modest GDP growth 1.6% in 8M25

Belarus’ economy expanded by 1.6% in the period from January to August 2025, according to preliminary estimates from the National Statistical Committee, state news agency BelTA reported on 17 September.

Most Ukrainians reject Russian peace plan, back continued resistance, poll shows

An overwhelming majority of Ukrainians remain committed to resisting Russia’s invasion and reject Moscow’s latest peace proposals, even as many recognise that the war is unlikely to end soon, according to a new survey by the KIIS.

Young Bulgarians turn to stocks over real estate, survey shows

Real estate remains the most popular option overall but younger investors are leading a shift towards stock market investing, says survey commissioned by Revolut.

New KIIS report says invasion boosted Zelenskiy approval rating

5 hours ago

Inflation falls in 70 Russian regions but remains above target

2 days ago

Belarus reports modest GDP growth 1.6% in 8M25

4 days ago

Most Ukrainians reject Russian peace plan, back continued resistance, poll shows

5 days ago

Young Bulgarians turn to stocks over real estate, survey shows

5 days ago

More Data

Features

US cancels Chabahar port sanctions exemption in blow to India's regional strategy

US terminates Iran Chabahar port sanctions waiver from September 29, jeopardising India's strategic trade operations and regional connectivity initiatives through the key facility.

INTERVIEW: Moldova seizes its moment

From rapid progress towards EU accession to the reconstruction of neighbouring Ukraine, factors have aligned to make Moldova an attractive FDI destination, says Invest Moldova head Natalia Bejan.

Polish border shutdown poses questions on Asia-Europe rail freight

The closure of Poland’s crossings with Belarus on September 12 has rattled transport and logistics companies, which warn that a prolonged halt could drive cargo away from the country, disrupt supply chains and inflate costs for businesses,

Indonesia’s Raja Ampat - tourism hub or den of corruption?

In recent years, Indonesia has doubled down on promoting Raja Ampat, a remote archipelago in West Papua famed for its biodiversity, as a global eco-tourism icon.

Flood corruption scandal shakes the Philippines

The Philippines is grappling with a widespread controversy surrounding its flood control programme, with allegations of billions of pesos being siphoned off from projects meant to protect vulnerable communities.

US cancels Chabahar port sanctions exemption in blow to India's regional strategy

2 days ago

INTERVIEW: Moldova seizes its moment

2 days ago

Polish border shutdown poses questions on Asia-Europe rail freight

2 days ago

Indonesia’s Raja Ampat - tourism hub or den of corruption?

3 days ago

Flood corruption scandal shakes the Philippines

3 days ago

More Features

Blogs

ISTANBUL BLOG: British lord tells complaining Brits to visit Turkish airport to taste real cost-of-living crisis

Turks hit back with a storm of “patriotic” response.

The rise of the Southern Consensus

It’s increasingly looking like a clash of civilisations, isn’t it? In the last 24 hours there was yet another Global South summit where the collective leaders of the world’s biggest countries gathered to show unity in the face of US aggression.

KYIV BLOG: Brexit on steroids

The coalition of the willing Paris summit on September 4 ended in disaster. The European team has been working really hard for several weeks to thrash out a plan to save Ukraine and came together in Paris.

BALKAN BLOG: A Bosnian statelet in denial

Milorad Dodik has been stripped of his role as president of Bosnia's Republika Srpska but he is continuing to operate as if still in power.

BALKAN BLOG: One step forward, two steps back in Kosovo's deadlocked parliament

Kosovans are running out of patience with the political crisis that has persisted since the February general election, taking its toll on the country’s economy.

ISTANBUL BLOG: British lord tells complaining Brits to visit Turkish airport to taste real cost-of-living crisis

9 days ago

The rise of the Southern Consensus

12 days ago

KYIV BLOG: Brexit on steroids

16 days ago

BALKAN BLOG: A Bosnian statelet in denial

19 days ago

BALKAN BLOG: One step forward, two steps back in Kosovo's deadlocked parliament

20 days ago

More Blogs

bneGREEN

China’s COP30 climate pledge will shape global emissions story - CREA

The COP30 summit in Belém, Brazil, kicks off on November 10 and will be very closely watched as one of the last opportunities to avert the very worst of the Climate catastrophe. And China's speech will be watched most closely of all.

Europe’s summer heatwaves killed more than 16,000 people

The heatwaves that swept the Continent were responsible for more than two-thirds of the 24,400 heat-related deaths estimated in Europe this summer, or 16,266 people, according to a new study conducted by scientists at Imperial College London.

L&T secures order for Kudankulam nuclear project expansion in India's Tamil Nadu

Indian engineering giant Larsen & Toubro has secured a major order valued at up to $285mn from the state-owned Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd for works at the Kudankulam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu

India sees drop in CO2 emissions as renewables accelerate

India’s power sector has recorded an unusual dip in carbon dioxide output, with emissions falling by 1% in the first half of 2025 compared with a year earlier.

Russia to build large-scale high-speed train network

When Russian prime minister Mikhail Mishustin announced that Vladimir Putin had approved more than 4,500km of new high-speed rail, the tone was businesslike, almost perfunctory, but the project could be a game-changer.

China’s COP30 climate pledge will shape global emissions story - CREA

2 days ago

Europe’s summer heatwaves killed more than 16,000 people

2 days ago

L&T secures order for Kudankulam nuclear project expansion in India's Tamil Nadu

2 days ago

India sees drop in CO2 emissions as renewables accelerate

2 days ago

Russia to build large-scale high-speed train network

3 days ago

More bneGREEN

Latest Updates

News

The blast struck on the evening of September 18 evening in Chaman, a Pakistani border town, at a taxi stand where Afghan migrants and local residents had assembled.

Estonia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on September 19 summoned the chargé d’affaires of the Russian Federation in Estonia to lodge a protest for an "unprecedentedly brazen" violation of Estonia’s airspace after three MiGs entered its airspace.

China has once again rejected American efforts to pressure Latin American nations into reducing ties with Beijing, with a foreign ministry spokesperson asserting the region's right to choose its own development partners independently.

The European Commission has published proposals for a 19th sanctions package against Russia that would tighten curbs on energy trade and payments, with new measures aimed at oil refineries, oil traders and petrochemical companies in third countries.

Officials at the Central Bank of the Republic of China cited robust economic performance and subdued price pressures as reasons to hold steady.

Tech

The extreme sanctions imposed on Russia have hit industrial sectors the hardest, which have been almost entirely dependent on imports of high quality foreign made machinery for almost all of the last three decades since the fall of the Soviet Union.

Reports from northern Afghanistan indicated severe difficulties in processing financial transactions after WiFi services were suspended in a number of provinces, including Balkh. In Mazar-i-Sharif, banking operations were reportedly brought to a halt

Numbers highlight Turkish consumers’ growing appetite for low‑cost overseas platforms such as China's online marketplace Temu and e-commerce fast fashion giant Shein.

UAE's RAKEZ partners with India economic council to launch startup series supporting entrepreneurship and global expansion opportunities for both countries.

Iranian communications deputy admits filtering policies have created unsafe, polluted internet network whilst domestic messaging platforms show significant growth.

Opinion

Georgia, once celebrated as a post-Soviet democratic success story, has quietly slipped into authoritarianism under the stewardship of its elusive puppet master, Bidzina Ivanishvili, says a Central Asia-Caucasus Institute report.

Russia and China now dominate narrative across region, Daniel N. Rosenblum tells students at Yale. If US cuts itself off from the world, “we will ultimately be less secure and less prosperous,” he warns.

Timothy Ash, senior sovereign strategist at BlueBay Asset Management in London, says European policymakers are belatedly waking up to the fact that the war in Ukraine is set to be prolonged — and that they alone may have to foot the bill.

The recent peace breakthrough between Armenia and Azerbaijan is a major diplomatic win for the United States and a setback for Russia, according to a new report published by the Atlantic Council.

Xi Jinping needs to think again before he sends so many young Chinese men and women to their deaths on Taiwan, for if the PLA does one day dare to land, they will be buried here.

Data

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 “has substantially increased Zelenskiy’s approval rating,” according to a new release from the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology.

Consumer prices declined in 70 Russian regions in August compared with July, according to data released by the Central Bank of Russia on September 18, as annual inflation also eased in 77 of the country’s regions. (chart)

Belarus’ economy expanded by 1.6% in the period from January to August 2025, according to preliminary estimates from the National Statistical Committee, state news agency BelTA reported on 17 September.

An overwhelming majority of Ukrainians remain committed to resisting Russia’s invasion and reject Moscow’s latest peace proposals, even as many recognise that the war is unlikely to end soon, according to a new survey by the KIIS.

Real estate remains the most popular option overall but younger investors are leading a shift towards stock market investing, says survey commissioned by Revolut.

Features

US terminates Iran Chabahar port sanctions waiver from September 29, jeopardising India's strategic trade operations and regional connectivity initiatives through the key facility.

From rapid progress towards EU accession to the reconstruction of neighbouring Ukraine, factors have aligned to make Moldova an attractive FDI destination, says Invest Moldova head Natalia Bejan.

The closure of Poland’s crossings with Belarus on September 12 has rattled transport and logistics companies, which warn that a prolonged halt could drive cargo away from the country, disrupt supply chains and inflate costs for businesses,

In recent years, Indonesia has doubled down on promoting Raja Ampat, a remote archipelago in West Papua famed for its biodiversity, as a global eco-tourism icon.

The Philippines is grappling with a widespread controversy surrounding its flood control programme, with allegations of billions of pesos being siphoned off from projects meant to protect vulnerable communities.

Blogs

Turks hit back with a storm of “patriotic” response.

It’s increasingly looking like a clash of civilisations, isn’t it? In the last 24 hours there was yet another Global South summit where the collective leaders of the world’s biggest countries gathered to show unity in the face of US aggression.

The coalition of the willing Paris summit on September 4 ended in disaster. The European team has been working really hard for several weeks to thrash out a plan to save Ukraine and came together in Paris.

Milorad Dodik has been stripped of his role as president of Bosnia's Republika Srpska but he is continuing to operate as if still in power.

Kosovans are running out of patience with the political crisis that has persisted since the February general election, taking its toll on the country’s economy.

bneGREEN

The COP30 summit in Belém, Brazil, kicks off on November 10 and will be very closely watched as one of the last opportunities to avert the very worst of the Climate catastrophe. And China's speech will be watched most closely of all.

The heatwaves that swept the Continent were responsible for more than two-thirds of the 24,400 heat-related deaths estimated in Europe this summer, or 16,266 people, according to a new study conducted by scientists at Imperial College London.

Indian engineering giant Larsen & Toubro has secured a major order valued at up to $285mn from the state-owned Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd for works at the Kudankulam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu

India’s power sector has recorded an unusual dip in carbon dioxide output, with emissions falling by 1% in the first half of 2025 compared with a year earlier.

When Russian prime minister Mikhail Mishustin announced that Vladimir Putin had approved more than 4,500km of new high-speed rail, the tone was businesslike, almost perfunctory, but the project could be a game-changer.

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